Transportation and logistics is a service-oriented industry. The best logistics providers are adaptable and looking for solutions to customer challenges. When a challenge arises, the best in the industry find a way to say “yes.” This is the case for ArcBest®, an integrated logistics company known for its innovative approach to solving its customers’ most pressing challenges. The phrase “we’ll find a way” is a key part of the company’s Vision, and is fundamental to the way they’ve done business for over a century.
The Challenge:
ArcBest faced a daunting challenge when a Fortune 500 customer called. The customer needed them to handle an international import division opportunity midway through a bid cycle.
ArcBest is known for partnering with its customers and helping them respond to market demands. Could they lean into their 100 years of experience and will to “find a way” to make it happen? The west coast lane was well within ArcBest’s network, but it would be far from easy. The equipment options available in this corner of its network were limited, and the lane promised only two one-way loads per week. The customer also ran a 3:1 trailer-to-load ratio, so the lane required six trailers. To service it adequately, a logistics provider would have to reposition assets or broker the entire project to a third-party carrier — both options are costly and resource-intensive.
How could ArcBest justify a commitment with such low expected volumes? Though it was outside the norm, ArcBest said "yes" to their customer and went to work creating a solution.
The Solution:
The ArcBest team evaluated its resources and partners to craft an optimal solution. As a company with assets and a solid asset-light network, they had reliable power-only Dedicated capability in the region. Given the low volume and one-way nature of the opportunity, they determined this option was a good fit for this lane. For the trailers, ArcBest turned to REPOWR – a platform for trailer sharing. Sourcing trailers from REPOWR cost less than purchasing trailers, and the trailers were readily available in the pickup metro, further reducing costs since there were no relocation expenses to factor in.
This innovative approach — pairing the company’s Dedicated power-only fleet with REPOWR-sourced trailers — allowed ArcBest to respond to the customer's needs and cover loads with just 48 hours' lead time. Following delivery, ArcBest utilized REPOWR trailers to cover additional loads.
The Benefits:
The collaboration with REPOWR led to several key outcomes for ArcBest:
This story serves as a testament to the potential of collaborative service models.
With REPOWR, ArcBest “found a way.”
